CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 INTRODUCTION
There are very limited numbers of studies reported in literature
related to the wind turbines of diameter less than 1 m designed for
the wind speed below 10 m/s. This chapter deals with the innovations
in the field of small scale wind energy turbines and their helps in the
development of small scale wind energy portable turbine.
2.2 HISTORY
There are very few attempts available in literature that study the performance
characteristics of SSWTs.
Hirahara et al., (2005) studied a small scale wind turbine
(named as mF500) of 50 cm diameter using NACA 2404 blade
template.mF500 has four fan-type blades unlike the traditional
wind turbines which usually have 23 tapered-type blades. This
turbine performs quite efciently with the optimal power
coefcient of 0.36 and the net efciency of 0.25 in the wind
speed range of 810 m/s.
Leung et al., (2010) presented the computational and
experimental studies on the multi-bladed small scale-wind
turbines. They suggested that since the blades are quite small,
the small scale- wind turbines can have fan type of blades of
uniform thickness along the entire span instead of the
traditional air foil and taper type blades. These fan type blades
with constant chord length have higher solidity and thus
provide functional advantage of increase in power efciency.
Vardar and Alibas, (2008) where they compared the rotation
rates and the power coefcients of the small scale-wind
turbines manufactured using the different NACA proles for the
4

various geometrical parameters like the twist angle, blade angle
and the number of blades. Out of four blade proles (namely
NACA 0012, NACA 4412, NACA 4415, and NACA 23012) tested, it
was found that NACA 4412 proles with 0 grade twisting
angle,5 grade blade angle and double blades had the highest
rotation rate, while NACA 4415 proles with 0 grade twisting
angle, 18 grade blade angle, 4 blades had the highest power
coefcient.


2.3 SUMMARY
In this chapter we go through important studies and experiments that reduces the
design procedure of small scale wind energy portable turbine .This gives a brief
history of different experiments done and their outcomes .The whole experiment is
planned with help of these studies.